


Empty Arena: The Big Blue Belt

by NightsWatch_Chef



Category: Professional Wrestling, World Wrestling Entertainment
Genre: Angst, Conflict, F/F, Friendship, Romantic Friendship, Two heels try to reach a greater understanding, baysha
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-19
Updated: 2020-07-19
Packaged: 2021-03-04 21:55:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,589
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25373497
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NightsWatch_Chef/pseuds/NightsWatch_Chef
Summary: Bayley and Sasha Banks examine their relationship before and after the Fatal 5-Way Elimination Match at WrestleMania 36.Prologue to "Redemption or Resurrection?"
Relationships: Sasha Banks/Bayley | Davina Rose
Comments: 12
Kudos: 51





	1. Her Champion

**Author's Note:**

> No financial or legal relationship to WWE, the personalities or wrestling gimmicks found in this story. I am merely contributing to the #Baysha slow burn.
> 
> These are point of view chapters (styled like A Song of Ice and Fire / Game of Thrones). 
> 
> This is the prologue to my fanfic: Redemption or Resurrection?
> 
> This is for my friend, Caverdash, who had the great idea that there should be some background info to help inform the longer story.

Blue, white, gold. The jewels encrusted upon the leather belt glimmered in the lamp light, illuminating the nightstand. Gold. Irrevocably gold. Undisputed gold. For a dominant champion. The Grand Slam Champion. THE Champion.

Blue, white, gold.

Gold.

Bayley smirked, again. She always smirked when she found herself staring at her championship belt. She lay on her right side in bed, her right arm positioned under her pillow. She lost track of time when she stared at the symbol of her accomplishments. Also, there was something she would not want to admit verbally into the air, in case it manifested tomorrow in a complete collapse, but Bayley was nervous. More nervous than she had been in so long.

She was slammed through steel, her hip cut on a ladder, but she still ascended to the top and her hands clasped around the Money in the Bank briefcase that would seal her destiny. And later that night, the Queen lay defeated in the ring as Bayley rose the blue belt high, triumphantly, to a roaring crowd. Bayley in the Bank. That’s what they called that PPV. But, Charlotte was able to somehow steal the gold back. Bayley won’t forget how she sat outside of the ring: hot, shameful tears burned her face as this same audience that once cheered for her, instead were rudely chanting “You tapped out!”. When she returned backstage, Sasha Banks’ welcoming arms were there to hold her and comfort her. But even though she had the most important person’s support, she knew deep inside that she had changed and her outward appearance needed to reveal this. Her ring gear was different, and her hair was darker and shorter. Her eye color, at times, could be blue and frosty.

But most importantly…

Bayley murdered her own Bayley Buddies: the skydancers, or waving inflatable tube men, the decorative display of her entrance. She slaughtered them in front of everyone who betrayed her. Children screamed and cried, while parents shielded their eyes. The audience, _those sheep_ , who cheered on kendo sticks and Charlotte Flair’s submission maneuver - they would applaud anything that’s “in the moment” and they never thought the Hugger was good enough. So from the dead, from the destroyed, sheared, colorful plastic rose a true Role Model. And this Role Model conquered the Queen, once again, to be the Smackdown Women’s Champion.

So, after all of that, why would _she_ be nervous about tomorrow?

Bayley’s thoughts were interrupted by a slight giggle behind her and she smiled when she felt familiar finger tips rubbing along her neck and back. She turned over and placed a playful hand on her best friend’s exposed thigh. Sasha Banks sat next to her in bed, clad in a black tank top and pink shorts. Even dressed down in casual clothing, Sasha was beautiful. But even that was a severe understatement, Bayley thought she was beyond beautiful in every moment and every second of the day.

“I swear, you stare at that belt all day,” stated Sasha, bemusement and slight annoyance in her voice. She set down her phone on the night stand nearest her.

Bayley scoffed and proceeded to trace her finger tips over Sasha’s thigh. “You’re exaggerating. And also, why wouldn’t anyone want to look at something so beautiful all day?”

“You’re right, Bay, the blue belt is a beauty. Like you,” Sasha gazed at the gold, her eyes did not shift to Bayley even when she addressed her.

Bayley wanted to focus on the compliment but Sasha’s tone and expressions were often difficult to decipher. Bayley cleared her throat a bit and gripped Sasha’s knee, in an attempt to break her gaze from the Smackdown title belt. Sasha finally looked into her eyes.

“Thanks dude. And so are you!” Bayley said cheerfully, but there was a hint of displeasure in her voice that she hoped remained undetected. She cleared her throat again, and continued normally, “What were you looking at on your phone?”

“Just the news, the usual political crap and rumors. The type of nonsense that puts you to sleep so it’s a good read before bed,” Sasha laughed, flashing a perfect smile at Bayley.

“Yeah, that could mean so many things… Speaking of crap, I still can’t believe they would allow Paige to put us in this situation,” Bayley said indignantly, her gaze fixed on Sasha’s knee.

Bayley referred to the Fatal 5-Way Elimination Match tomorrow at WrestleMania 36 for her Smackdown Women’s Championship. Paige’s twisted machinations invented this unfair match for the Show of Shows. She believed that Paige threw her to a pack of starving wolves, and one of those wolves was unfortunately her best friend. The others in the match were women that she did not necessarily get along with: including Tamina, Naomi, and the always annoying and always present, Lacey Evans.

“How did we get in this mess?” whispered Bayley, her words came out more like a hiss.

Before Sasha could speak, Bayley continued on in a frenetic way. “But! We… we have a plan and we’re gonna stick to the plan, right?! We’re gonna get rid of everyone else first and then…”

“Then it’ll be me versus you,” Sasha completed the sentence, her brown eyes pierced into Bayley.

“Well… um, uh… B-before we get to th-that,” Bayley stammered, collecting herself and rolling onto her back, “Team BAD… you and Naomi and Tamina, all together in the ring and um, I just —”

Her words were halted by sudden movements from Sasha. Swiftly, Sasha went from sitting up in their bed to cuddling up to Bayley’s side and she softly placed a finger on Bayley’s lips. The warmth and close contact was wonderful, consoling… among other feelings. Bayley could not move or talk, as if Sasha’s light touch turned her into stone, she could only gaze up into her friend’s seductive smirk. Stone could not move or talk but could still think somehow, and Bayley’s thoughts warped within her mind - feelings that she often repressed about their friendship bubbled to the surface of this whirlpool.

“Baby, why would I leave you for them? There is no Team BAD. There is only Boss ’N’ Hug, remember that,” Sasha said in an alluring whisper. She finally removed her finger from Bayley’s lips and rested her hand on Bayley’s chest.

“OK, so maybe Boss ’N’ Thug? The Role Models? Or just Bayley and Sasha Banks,” sighed Sasha with a small laugh as she noticed Bayley purse her lips together at the end of her statement. Bayley was no longer a Hugger, but she loved to hug Sasha. And only Sasha.

“That’s better,” Bayley said, also managing a chuckle, “We’ll just stick to the plan… I trust you, do you trust me?”

Sasha gave her friend an exaggerated glare, a mock expression of anger. Then she giggled again and rested her head on Bayley’s chest, as she often did before they went to bed together. She hugged the former Hugger tightly, snuggling deeper into the warmth and well-built muscles.

“Of course! But part of the plan is also to get plenty of rest before the big show tomorrow,” she murmured on Bayley’s chest.

Bayley grinned and patted Sasha’s head lightly, she then reached over to her phone and shut off the lights in their bedroom using an app. Before the lights disappeared, Bayley watched the championship belt. In the dark, the jewels and the metal on the belt continued to sparkle and shine. Or maybe that was something she imagined. Her hand drifted down Sasha’s back, her thumb rubbing along her friend’s spine.

“Good night, Champ,” murmured Sasha.

“Good night, Boss,” responded Bayley.

Bayley did not shut her eyes yet to allow sleep to overcome her. She was tired but in this silence, in this darkness, she could not deny the growing wave of anxiety that welled in her chest. She hurriedly looked in the direction of the belt, as if it would disappear if she could not see it or touch it. Maybe it would disappear tomorrow… to some undeserving woman who did not bleed on ladders, who did not endure severe criticism, who did not suffer the way that she had to be a champion in the WWE. Maybe it would still be in the bedroom tomorrow night, but the side plates would be different - maybe these plates would be red, instead of black. The red Legit Boss side plates for the new champion, who was currently cuddling with her and lulling her into a false sense of friendship. Her breath quickened, and her body tensed up. Sasha held her even tighter, in response, and started to caress her skin under her shirt.

“Baby, are you OK?” Sasha whispered in her ear, and Bayley flinched at the sound of her voice.

“Sash, could I ask you something and could you tell me the truth?” Bayley finally asked in a panicked tone, her hand that rested on Sasha’s back was suddenly grasping the fabric of the black tank top.

“Well, first of all, are you OK?” Sasha answered sternly.

“No! I’m thinking about tomorrow and it’s stressful,” she said angrily. She regretted her tone as soon as the words left her lips. Sasha did not deserve her anger, she did not create the scenario they were forced to deal with.

“I know… I know, Bayley,” Sasha softly whispered in her ear again, and pulled her close, “Sleep should help and we have to be up early, lots of training in the morning.”

“Sasha, do you want to be champion?” Bayley asked abruptly. She wanted to ask this for months but was too afraid of the answer, too afraid that the most viable competitor and the greatest threat to her reign was Sasha Banks. Now, the panic crept into her throat and she could no longer hold back.

Sasha did not respond for a while. Bayley could feel her breathing close by her left ear, as Sasha’s fingers prodded against her side. The wait, the silence, these things were not good for Bayley’s mental health. When Sasha finally spoke, the words seemed to tumble out quickly.

“Yes, everyone would want to be the champion. There is no one in our locker room who would say no to that.”

Bayley sighed and started to pull away from Sasha a bit, her touch was now too smothering and uncomfortable. “So what does that mean for tomorrow? What does that mean for you and I?”

Sasha displayed her agility once again. Before Bayley could pull away completely, Sasha surprisingly climbed on top of her and straddled her between powerful thighs. Her hands pressed softly but firmly on Bayley’s chest. Bayley’s eyes had adjusted to the darkness a bit, and saw her friend’s outline on top of her but could not read the expression on her face. Bayley was relieved actually that this all happened when the lights were off because her face flushed red, and she hoped that Sasha could not feel the heat emanating from her body.

Confusion and terror struck Bayley’s core. They were very close, they were best friends who lived together and shared everything. But Sasha had never done anything like this before. If this was proceeding into what Bayley thought was happening, why did it have to happen tonight? Of all nights? Were these the psychological games of Sasha Banks, trying to catch her off guard?

It was hard to defy reason and logic. And the thoughts that she had shoved away into the deep corners of her mind, that she would fight and argue with whenever they appeared. She would never ruin their friendship like that. _If it happened_. She would not be able to focus on tomorrow, on defending her championship. _If it happened_. That would destroy everything.

Bayley remained frozen and silent as Sasha’s face lowered closer to hers.

“I don’t like you like this, Bay. What can I do to calm you down?” Sasha asked softly, these words barely audible over Bayley’s own pounding heart, and her blue hair draping over Bayley’s shoulder.

“Sasha… I—”

Before Bayley could sputter out a made up answer like a fool, Sasha’s giggling interjected.

“I know!” Sasha tapped Bayley’s chest with her fingers, “Let’s get up for a bit, have some ice cream and watch something funny on TV. How does that sound, Champ?”

Relief, regret and yearning washed over Bayley as Sasha finally slid off of her and sat by her side. Bayley rubbed along Sasha’s thigh, in appreciation of her suggestion.

“Sure, I’d like that. And I’m sorry to keep you up,” said Bayley in a truly apologetic tone, and trying to ignore what just happened between the two. Sasha’s kindness often surprised her, and it could be sporadic. The Boss definitely had an aura of selfishness and pride, but this aura seemed to soften around Bayley. Maybe this was related to regret over past grievances. Their friendship had only solidified in recent times, and Sasha seemed happier with the “new” Bayley that she helped build: The Role Model.

Sasha gripped Bayley’s hand. “No worries. I’m always here for you. I’ll always have your back. We’ve come so far, why would we let them stop us now?”

* * *

_And even baby our worst nights_

_I’m into you, I’m into you_

_Let ‘em wonder how we got this far,_

_‘Cause I don’t really need to wonder at all_

_Yeah after all this time_

_I’m still into you_

\- Paramore


	2. Her Protector, Her Defender

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the prologue to my fanfic: Redemption or Resurrection?

_Play some shit my girlfriend will like, I ain’t tryna entertain these other hoes tonight._

\- Kendrick Lamar (This was a lyric on Sasha’s Instagram post on WrestleMania).

* * *

She watched the lone figure on the entrance ramp, and the lights around her made it appear as if she was engulfed within an exploded star: bright, energetic hues of gold, yellow, orange. Pride rose within her heart, and her lips curled into a slight smile as she watched her champion stride down the ramp. The arrival of the rock music and the dazzling lights made everyone around them disappear, as if they were the only two people in this empty arena on one of the most important nights of their careers. Their eyes connected, and the champion had a practiced gaze that did not hide her apprehension well. Sasha Banks, using all the telepathic powers she could relay through her brown eyes, attempted to inform her champion, her best friend, that everything would be just fine. They both wore matching ring gear of white, gold and black - to display their commitment to their friendship.

“You cheat… you do whatever you can to be a champion. That’s a role model,” Sasha heard John Bradshaw Layfield proclaim at the commentator’s table.

After more snippets of conversation, Sasha also overheard Michael Cole state the obvious: that Bayley would not have the luxury of a champion’s advantage tonight because it was an elimination match involving 5 women. No count-outs. No disqualification. And Bayley did not have to be involved in the ultimate decision to crown a new champion, she could be eliminated early.

Sasha observed Bayley’s movements, from the sauntering outside of the ring, to her usual stomping on the edge of the ring outside of the ropes, and finally when she entered the ring and unclasped the title from her waist. The challengers converged slightly upon Bayley when she walked to the center of the ring, but Sasha did not step forward much. She and Bayley gazed at each other again, and she knew from that stony glare that Bayley was afraid.

* * *

Her ears were ringing and the world around her was dark. Her eyes were shut, and the ground she lay upon felt oddly warm. Movement and thought were tremendously arduous. She attempted to coordinate herself.

“Bayley…” whispered Sasha, as she shifted her arms and legs, clenching her fists.

Sitting up was a request her body would not accommodate at the moment, so standing up to see what was going on was impossible. Sounds flooded her ears as her stupor started to wear off. She heard her champion fighting for their title against Lacey Evans. Bayley was vicious. Bayley was aggressive. Bayley was valiant. Her Bayley would not give up.

“I am WrestleMania!” Bayley boasted loudly, as well as laughing with a hint of lunacy. Then Sasha heard more commotion, more grunting and yelling from Bayley which meant that Lacey was finding a way to fight back. The commentators nearby became more emotive, excited by Lacey’s determination.

Sasha’s heart raced, she attempted to inject this sense of urgency into her wobbly limbs. She shifted onto her knees and crawled to the edge of the ring, peering inside. Lacey had grabbed a fistful of Bayley’s dark hair and she appeared prime to deliver her finishing right hook: the Woman’s Right. Sasha’s speed surprised herself, as she dove into the ring and swiftly yanked Lacey from behind down onto double knees, her Backstabber move. Lacey then staggered on her hands and knees while Sasha escaped the ring as the referee yelled at her to stop interfering. She then saw that Bayley hooked Lacey’s left arm and applied her finishing maneuver, the Rose Plant, driving Lacey’s face mercilessly into the mat. Bayley quickly pinned her, and shouted gleefully as the referee counted. Lacey was the last competitor to be eliminated, the match was over and Bayley was still the Smackdown Women’s Champion. She retained her title at the biggest show of the year.

Sasha carried Bayley’s championship belt into the ring, as Bayley stared at her with wonder, amazement, and fear. Sasha gazed down at the blue belt, the championship she desired but decided ultimately, that something greater had to be done tonight. She slowly switched her gaze over to Bayley, and it was obvious that neither knew what to expect from the other woman. She gave her friend a small smile, and finally approached. She wrapped the belt around Bayley’s waist and raised her arm in victory. Bayley nodded sheepishly when Sasha released her arm. Sasha motioned to Bayley that she should celebrate her victory, and she exited the ring which seemed to flip a switch within her friend.

“Nobody can touch me!” Bayley screamed, and she repeated these words at the fallen Lacey who still lay in pain in the ring, and she also pointed at the commentators and in various directions. Sasha noted that Bayley even pointed in her direction as she stood at the bottom of the entrance ramp. Bayley did not acknowledge Sasha’s assistance in this win.

Sasha watched with silent, expressionless concern as she witnessed Bayley’s actions: her boasting, her raging around the ring, her harsh laughter, baring her teeth while grasping the blue belt. These actions were magnified in the empty arena, the music blared on the speakers but could not contain the eery silence without a crowd. _No one can touch Bayley. Was that the reality though?_ Sasha’s mind drifted into strange realizations as she watched this scene, silhouetted in shadows far away from the lights that shone brightly upon her friend. She realized that the egotistical champion growling and celebrating in the ring was what she created. Still in the shadows, she stared in silent horror at this monster.

* * *

Sasha had an ice pack applied to her neck and jaw for several minutes at a time, but slammed it down on the bathroom counter in frustration. Something was missing. She experienced a stinging discomfort from the ice, and nothing was soothing the aches she had. She turned on the cold water on the sink, letting it run for a minute before she cupped her hands under the rush of water. She splashed the water on her face, feeling a slight reprieve. The shock of cold water dripping down her face and neck was a nice distraction from her perseverations.

Common, every day annoyances never bothered Sasha Banks. She had more important things to think about and to do. She was often the epitome of unbothered. There are reasons why she was heralded “the Legit Boss”: she had a business empire to run which included her merchandise, a large fanbase, and her new music ventures. She was the draw, people turned on their TVs to see her specifically. She was always the conversation in the industry. She did not need a championship title to be relevant. Hell, her best friend was the champion and that was more than enough for her… _Right?_

Her best friend.

Her champion.

So why did their match an hour ago bother her? It was not a common, every day annoyance that she had to endure. This was complex, and resurfaced old memories. Sasha influenced Bayley to change: to get rid of the Hugger persona, to be a bad ass Role Model. She sincerely wanted better for Bayley… or so she hoped. And sometimes she wondered if she did this because she required an ally in the fight against Becky Lynch last year for the Raw Women’s Championship. She loved when Bayley supported her, and she loved when Bayley fought her enemies - and transformed these competitors into _their enemies_. But things changed: the Raw title opportunities came and went, and Becky was still the champion, and Bayley was still the champion, and Bayley continued to change.

Sasha opened her eyes slowly as she felt something cold on her upper back and something warm, soft on the back of her neck. She was leaning against the counter and she saw in the mirror’s reflection that Bayley was standing behind her, clutching the blue belt while her lips were pressed against Sasha’s neck. The cold was the metal from the glittering belt.

Bayley chuckled, her breath tickling Sasha’s skin. “What’re you doing, Sash?”

Sasha shut off the faucet and turned around, creating some space between them. “I don’t feel great. That damn Lacey! But we showed her what happens when you meddle in our business.”

“It was awesome, dude! You were freakin’ amazing!” laughed Bayley, and her exuberance had a crazed edge to it.

“Amazing like Naomi?” Sasha teased.

They giggled at this shared understanding.

“Even better! And I really don’t want to see Lacey’s face anymore, we might want to consider a restraining order if she keeps popping up!” exclaimed Bayley, with another howl of laughter.

Sasha picked up the ice pack, and pressed it to her left jaw while motioning with her head at Bayley. “So Bay, what’s next?”

“Well, it’s time to celebrate!” Bayley said, beaming, “Since we can’t go out to the strip club, some of the guys told me we can still call the strippers to come to us! It’ll be great, dude!”

Sasha raised an eyebrow and her smile faded, she gazed at the shower curtain, pondering how to approach this. The strip clubs, the night clubs, the day clubs, any clubs and raucous social outings were fine sometimes but she thought that Bayley would go overboard when they were out. This was getting worse in the past few months. Sometimes Bayley would drink too much. Sometimes Bayley would spend too much time flirting with women. Sometimes Bayley would get into arguments with other wrestlers. Sometimes Bayley was just plain obnoxious at a party. It was exhausting to pander to a champion who allowed gold to seep into her head.

“I have a better idea,” Sasha said slowly, finally looking at Bayley. Bayley grinned and looked at her curiously.

“Let’s order some food and watch a movie on Netflix, let’s just stay in and not deal with anymore drama for tonight,” explained Sasha.

Bayley frowned. “Dude! That’s so boring. And what drama? We’re gonna have the beautiful women come to us right here!”

“C’mon Bayley, let’s just have a chill night. Please?” asked Sasha, a slight irritation trickling into her voice.

Bayley set down her belt on the counter, and then held Sasha’s arms while smiling at her. “Sasha, please? Can they come over? I won at WrestleMania! We need to celebrate big!”

Sasha looked into Bayley’s hopeful gaze, she saw a glimmer of the Hugger behind those dark eyes. She missed the Hugger who wanted to stay in after matches and cuddle on the couch while munching on cookies and watching Netflix.

“Bayley…”

“C’mon Boss! You da Boss! You prefer the glitz and the glamour, I know you do!” stated Bayley confidently.

“Yeah but girl, I don’t consider your plan to be glitz and glamour. That’s kinda low brow to me,” Sasha responded, frowning a bit.

Bayley sighed. “OK, OK. But please? Please? Just for me? Just for tonight?”

Sasha stared at her with furrowed brows, _how many times had she heard this? Didn’t she already do something major for Bayley tonight?_ She saved her championship from Lacey fucking Evans. Finally, Sasha shrugged because she no longer wanted to have this conversation anymore. Bayley cheered and embraced her.

“So I do this for you, but then you have to answer a few things for me. What was that in the ring? Why did you hit me?” Sasha questioned as she quickly pulled away from Bayley’s hug.

Bayley gave her a wide-eyed look and gulped. “Girl, c’mon. It was an accident. Lacey messed up our move.”

“Like I said before, after everything, and that’s what you do to me? And then I saw on the replay that you did nothing to help me after Lacey punched me,” Sasha said in an exasperated tone while taking a menacing step forward.

“Look Sasha, there was so much going on. I freaked out, I didn’t know what to do. It wasn’t my fault,” Bayley explained breathlessly.

Sasha backed Bayley into the bathroom wall, and she was glowering a few inches from her friend’s face.

“How was there so much going on?! There were only 3 people in the ring: me, you and her! So what else was going on, Bayley?!” Sasha shouted in her face.

Bayley turned her face away, frightened and shaking. “Sasha, I’m so sorry, I—”

Suddenly, without much thought or pretense, Sasha grabbed Bayley’s hands and squeezed them. Sasha shut her eyes, the pain in her jaw was getting to her again. She did not like shouting at Bayley, and although Bayley had a new, tough personality - this seemed to melt away in their private arguments. In these moments, Bayley would rather cower than fight her.

“Sasha… I knew you would come back for me. I knew you would save me,” Bayley whispered, her tone was pleading, mingled with awe and deep appreciation.

“I’ll always have your back,” Sasha said through gritted teeth, “I’m sorry. I need to get the ice pack.”

Before Sasha could move, Bayley hurried over to the counter and picked up the forgotten pack. She placed this gingerly on Sasha’s left jaw. Sasha placed her hand over Bayley’s hand that held the pack. They shared a slight smile.

“Tonight was a success, we need to keep moving forward. Can’t lose focus now,” Sasha stated, glancing at the shiny championship belt on the counter.

“Thank you, Boss. You’re right,” mumbled Bayley.

Sasha tried to smile at her best friend, but could not hide the grimace of pain. And the grimace of remembering the events during and after the match.

“It’s not just mine, you know. It’s yours too. It belongs to us,” declared Bayley, with a grin creeping along her lips, “And I have everything I need now. I have the title. And I have you.”

Sasha stared into the Role Model’s smug, grinning face. The internal switch seemed to flip again, and the Hugger was gone completely.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm considering expanding Sasha's POV chapter further in Redemption or Resurrection, possibly as a flashback. I wanted to keep writing more here but I felt like it could go on for a while...
> 
> Thanks for reading! And thank you again to Caverdash for the prologue inspiration.


End file.
